


River’s Secret Supplier

by ChiefDoctor



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, River Song Ficathon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-21
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-02 15:37:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5253719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChiefDoctor/pseuds/ChiefDoctor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rivercation Fanfic Prompt:  River breaks into the Black Archives</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It’s Bigger on the Inside

**Author's Note:**

> My interpretation is that River doesn’t just break into the Black Archives but basically uses it as her own personal supply closet. That despite all their security and protocols she waltzes in and out as she pleases nicking what she wants and occasionally leaving some things behind. This is terribly timey-wimey so do keep up.

River struggles to hold onto the three paradigm converters and the new blaster she has just acquired as she makes her way out of her closet.  Just about to set them down, before she drops them, she is startled by a voice.  “River, where have you been?  I have been calling your name for hours!”

She rolls her eyes at his dramatic suffering.  “Sweetie, I am sure it has not been hours.  I haven’t been gone but a few minutes.”  She tosses her new gadgets onto the soft floral chair near the window and saunters over to where her husband stands pouting.  Standing before him she slides her hands up the front of his shirt beneath his purple tweed jacket.  Welcoming the contact he shifts closer to her. 

‘Definitely my husband then.’  She determines based on the soft look in his eyes and his wanting contact as much as she does.  Smiling back at him she purrs, “Hello Sweetie!”

His grin matches her smile in intensity.  “Hello wife!”  His arms slide around her waist pulling her closer until their lips nearly meet.  “I’ve missed you.”  He whispers before sliding his lips against hers.  It only takes a moment before the intensity of their kiss escalates.  From there clothes are shed, skin is explored, and intimate moments are shared.

As he holds her in his arms, her skin warming his he finally asks.  “Where are you?”  He doesn’t have to elaborate.  They have had this conversation so many times.  It’s their own version of shorthand. 

Her eyes flicker shut as she remembers their last encounter.  “The last I saw you you were offering us as sacrifices to the Rain Gods.”

“River, THAT is not what I was doing!”  His voice rose and the new crinkles next to his eyes bunched together.  “I was trying…..”

“Yes, I know.”  She swatted his chest.  “You were trying to buy us time until ‘a thing’ happened.”  She smirked at him not letting him get away with thinking he was anything other than an idiot.

“Well, it did, didn’t it?  It all worked out.”  He pulled her closer letting her chest brush against his own.  He loved these times; these times when they could just be with each other.  No secrets…..mostly.  Before she could rebuke his argument he caught sight of the items she had tossed on the chair by the window.  “So what is all that stuff for?”  He cocked his head in the direction of the chair.

Following his eyes she noticed the forgotten gadgets.  “Oh those…..well a girl has to have a hobby.”  Her eyes lit up as her fingers tiptoed over his chest.  This may have worked on a younger him but he knew her and he wasn’t falling for her wiles.

“River….”  He said seriously.  “Those are paradigm converters.  What would you need with paradigm converters?”  His eyes bore into hers daring her to lie to him.  She hated this him….well, not really.  She loved this him in that he knew her best but she hated that he knew her so well that she couldn’t easily fool him.

“Sweetie, sometimes I have jobs that require ……well let’s say you probably wouldn’t approve.  I think its best that I keep those to myself.” 

She infuriated him but he loved her, oh how he loved her.  Deep down he knew that whatever she was going to use the paradigm converters for was ultimately for the good of many.  It was hard for someone like him.  Someone who had lived as long as he had, lost so much, been betrayed by so many to trust this woman.  But she wasn’t just any woman….she was his wife.  She was his wife of a few centuries based on their mutual last outings.

He continued to glower at her despite his feelings of love and trust.  No sense letting her think she had won too soon.  “Do you promise that an entire species will not be wiped out as a result?”

She pushes her arm up against his chest, “Sweetie, that was only one time and I said I was sorry.  How did I know that water would cause their molecular structure to disintegrate?”

He bit his lip not wanting her to know how adorable he thought she was when she got all indignant.  Instead he chose to tease her further.  “You call yourself an archaeologist!  Shouldn’t you have researched them before landing on their planet?”

“Crash landed!  Remember?  I didn’t have time to research them.  Honestly I had no idea they were so vulnerable.”  Her lip began to quiver and it made him feel bad for bringing it up.  They had talked about that incident many times before and he knew she bore great guilt at the loss of the Quinone race on planet Bashakkafa. 

Pulling her back down, he cradled her head into his chest.  “I know.  I know River.”  He brushes his lips across her temple.  “I’m sorry I brought it up.”  Hiding her face into his chest she brushed the tears away before he saw them.  The Quinone debacle was one of her greatest regrets in all of her travels through time and space.  It had nearly crushed her at the time.  She wonders how it is that he can keep moving forward with all that must rest on his own shoulders.

After a quiet nap they both slip out of her bed finding their clothes strewn all over the room.  It is then that he goes to the chair to examine her gadgets.  “These are excellent quality…..from the star cluster Naxon I believe in the 55th century.  How’d you get a hold of them?”  He looks her way as he asks.  The sight of her sliding her knickers back up her thighs makes him forget all about paradigm convertors and things she shouldn’t be doing.

With her hands on her hips she faces him in knickers and bra, “Oh Sweetie, I can’t have you knowing all my secrets.”  She then turns swaying her hips as she heads into her closet, her bigger on the inside closet. 

It was a gift from her husband shortly after their marriage.  He hated the idea of her having to be stuck in Stormcage so he thought the least he could do was make it more comfortable.  After creating an entire new dimensional closet inside her cell’s locker, he upgraded the cot’s mattress, replaced her sheets and bedding, got the taps to flow both cold AND hot water, and gave her a gadget that would alter the security feeds whenever she felt like it.

After her release from Stormcage she was able to move it to the small cottage on Luna that she had bought.  Being a Professor gave her the ability to have a place of her own for the first time in her lifetime.  Although the TARDIS was always home that was a place she shared with the Doctor and her parents.  This was HER place.  Yes, she had many memories of him in it with her but it was hers and that was important to her.

He never ventured in her closet only going as far as the threshold.  Somehow he knew it was off-limits, private.  He understood.  He had many places like that on his TARDIS. 

Leaning against the door jamb he watches as she chooses an outfit for the day and gets dressed.  He’ll never stop wanting to watch her no matter how many years they have together.  His eyes take in the room.  It seems a bit bigger since the last time he looked.  There are a few more rows of clothes and shelves against the back crammed full of …well he doesn’t know what but stuff that River no doubt finds valuable.  His eyes rest on a painting tucked into the corner.  It seems an odd place for a painting, more a place you might find a mirror.  The painting itself is odd too in that it looks like a never-ending series of corridors.

Before he can give it much thought she approaches him with a smile.  “How about you buy a girl some breakfast?”

A smile takes over his own face.  “I think I’d like that.”  She takes his arm, leading him past the chair of forgotten gadgets, and out of the cottage to find breakfast on Luna.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	2. Rather Rubbish on the Cyberman Scale

When she arrived the Doctor, Rory, and Amy were crouched behind a metal barricade trying to not get deleted by the attacking Cyberman.  The first thing they noticed was the crackle in the air, followed by the distinct smell of time burning.  Only experienced time-travelers knew what that meant……and they were experienced time-travelers. 

Looking over to the Doctor they turned as one just as River appeared before them, her vortex manipulator smoking slightly from the trip.  Immediately they pulled her to the ground just as a blast from a Cyberman pierced through the space she had just occupied.

“Melody what are you doing here?”  Her mother whispered trying her best to sound admonishing…..bless. 

“Mother, you and Dad needed me, not to mention that one over there.”  Pointing to the Doctor.  “Where else would I be?”  Now looking directly at the Doctor she asks, “So what’s the situation?”

“Well, we came here on holiday but then came across an entire legion of Cyberman determined to take over this planet.”

“Plan?”  She asks next as she peers over the barricade to scope out the situation for herself.  When he doesn’t answer right away she turns his way only to find him muttering to himself.  “Sweetie, are you saying you don’t have a plan?”

He glares at her, hating that she knows him just a little too well.  He’s not sure where they are in their timestreams but she seems further ahead than he is.  She knows him just a little too well and he’s still not entirely sure if he can trust her.  “I have a plan….it’s just a plan in progress is all.”  He tugs at his hair as he tries to formulate a real plan before she does.

She stares at him in disbelief.  ‘That idiot!  He doesn’t have a plan and he’s too much of an idiot to admit he needs my help.’  “Well those appear to be fourth generation Cyberman, rather rubbish on the Cyberman scale.  It shouldn’t take much to take them out, just need to reverse the input to their neural relays.  All we need to do is inject a vector cone into their cyberhub.”  She proclaims smugly.

He gives her a look of distain as if her suggestion wasn’t absolutely what they should do.  He’d rather die than let her know that. He makes a show of patting his jacket pockets as if he is looking for something.  “Well we’re out of luck Doctor Song.  I must have left my vector cone in my other jacket.”

Ignoring his distain she smirks right back at him.  “Well then it’s a good thing I came along then.”

Amy and Rory stand back watching in amusement as River bests the Doctor at every turn.

His eyes widen.  “You have a vector cone?”

“Well, not on me but I can pop back and get it.”  Catching the grin on Amy; she winks at her. 

His mouth drops open.  “You …can …pop …back?  River why would you have a vector cone?  I don’t even have a vector cone!”

She shrugs her shoulders.  “Well you never know when things could come in handy now do you?”

He continues to stare at her in disbelief.  “Where?  Where would you get such a thing?”

She smiles that smile that makes her eyes sparkle and they all know what’s coming.  “Spoilers!”

He huffs.  “Now, now Sweetie.  You know I have a secret supplier and they would be ever so cross if you found out.”  Amy tries to hide her giggles in Rory’s arm but apparently is unsuccessful when the Doctor glowers at her.

She pats his chest to calm him down before commanding, “You find the cyberhub and I’ll go fetch the vector cone.”

Rory stepped forward, “But how will you know where we are?”

“I’ll just hone in on your signal.”  She says matter-a-factly.

“What signal?”  Amy asks.

Looking ever so smug she says, “Why the same signal I used to find you the first time.”

“But wha…..”  River was gone before she could finish her question.  “Ooooh that girl is in so much trouble.”  The Doctor ignored her.  He had his sonic out and was starting to make his way across the room.  Rory tugged onto Amy’s arm pulling her after the Doctor.

~~~~~~~~~

River was strolling up and down aisle after aisle of alien gadgets.  There were shelves and shelves of items from all over this galaxy and the next.  She knew exactly what she was looking for but apparently some idiot had moved it because she knew this place like the back of her hand.  Honestly she should work here.  She knew far more about what this stuff was and did then all of the so called ‘experts’ working here combined. 

She often referred to this place as her ‘Secret Stash’ or more recently ‘Secret Supplier’.  She struggled to contain a laugh since the joke was really on them.  It was a secret not just from everyone she knew but it was also a secret from them as well.  UNIT had no idea that River Song referred to their Black Archives as her ‘Secret Supplier’!

Entering the open area set up with tables, electronic communication devices, and security computers she passed by the old school bulletin board with pictures of the Doctor in his various incarnations, a few of his companions over the years, and those from UNIT such as the Brigadier who knew him.  Once a few years back, she found a photo of herself on it.  Deciding that removing it might raise too many questions she merely exposed it to an ion flash that overexposed the photo destroying the image.  She smiles when she sees a picture of her parents with her Doctor have been added to the board.

Continuing her search she finally locates the damn vector cone in the far back corner next to a bin of narly looking Weevil manacles.  “Jeesh, don’t that at least clean this stuff once in a while!”  Tucking the vector cone in her knapsack she left the way she came.  No trace that she’d ever been there, well…. except the red lipstick smooch she left on her Doctor’s picture.  She smirked to herself as she passed the board again on her way out knowing the havoc that little stunt would cause the folks at UNIT.

~~~~~~~~~

She appeared as quickly as she had left.  Taking a moment to get her bearings she realized that they had indeed found the cyberhub.  The Doctor was using his sonic to try to reverse the neural relays but was having no luck.  Gloating she marched over to the bank of computers that he was scowling at.  “It looks like I got here just in time.”  He turned his head to give her a look of disgust.  “What Sweetie?  You already have it taken care of?  You don’t need me and my vector cone?”  She pulls said cone from her knapsack holding it proudly in the palm of her hand.

Growling at her, he snatches the cone from her hand and jams it into the neural relay input.  Immediately the lights begin to flicker then go out.  In the dark, in the distance they can hear Cybermen shorting out and falling to the ground.   Across the room he hears Amy grabbing Rory and he’s fairly certain snogging him senseless.

He can sense River at his elbow.  He can practically feel the smugness rolling off her.  ‘Infuriating woman with all her hair, and her ‘secret suppliers’ and her Riverness…..’  He tries hard to remain angry with her but she saved the day….and she’s right here…..and…….

Turning quickly without thinking he pulls her towards him letting himself sink into her, his face buried into her hair.  Pulling back slightly he reaches for her face with his hands, cupping them between before bending to press his lips into hers.  In only takes a moment before their reunion kiss becomes heated.  Just as his hand reaches beneath her shirt the lights come back on.  Neither of them notice until they hear a shout from Amy.

“Hey you two…..get a room!”

They both step back looking at one another, their eyes already dark, wishing they were alone.  But they’re not.  Practically as one they look over at Amy and Rory.  Rory seems particularly uncomfortable that he had to witness his daughter being devoured by the Doctor…..it didn’t seem to matter that he was her husband.  Father’s shouldn’t have to try to unsee that.

Now that the coast was clear the groups easily made it back to the TARDIS.  The Doctor offered to drop the Ponds back home but they declined.  They did however head off to bed leaving the Doctor alone with River at the console.  After watching Amy and Rory climb the stairs he turned back to River.  Sliding over to where she was fiddling with the switches and leavers; he slid his arms around her waist pressing his nose into her hair.  “So tell me Dr. Song, where are we?”

Turning in his arms her own slide up his chest.  “Well obviously passed Demon’s Run.”

“Obviously!”

“How about you?”

“Maybe a bit further…..Cairo.”  He smiled.

She smiled back at him.  “Me too.  I wasn’t sure if I should say.”  The twinkle in his eye told her all that she needed to know…..this was her husband.

“Hello wife!”  He snuggled closer.

“Hello husband.”  She rested her head against his chest just listening to the beat of his hearts.  All of the running and danger is wonderful but sometimes it was just nice to have someone to hold and for them to hold you back.

Leaning back he looked into her eyes, his palm traced along the edge of her face.  “I’m really glad you came today.  I don’t know what we would have done without you.”

“Oh, I’m sure you would have figured out something!”  She discounted his compliment.

Pulling her tighter to him, “But I’m glad I didn’t have to.”  His kisses began at the base of her neck and as they worked their way up became more intense until he finally found her lips.  He didn’t want there to be any doubt how he felt about her showing up today.  “Let’s go to our room.” He panted when he finally could bring himself to part from her.

“Yes, lets.”  She said equally out of breathe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	3. The Seventh Moon of the Planet Jipern

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have gotten a little carried away with this chapter but they were having so much fun I just couldn't contain them. Grab a lovely cuppa tea and enjoy!

When the TARDIS suddenly lands he questions his ship.  “Why have we stopped here?  This isn’t where I wanted to go!”  He shouts to the center time rotor but his ship doesn’t budge.  Looking at the monitor he can’t think of any reason his ship would want him to come to the seventh moon of the planet Jipern in the 33rd century.  “Old girl, what are you even thinking?  This is even before their common age of technology.  They are barely out of the stone age.”  She flashed her lights at him which apparently was equivalent to being shooed out to play by his mum.  “Ok, ok I’m going!”

Stepping outside the TARDIS he looked around quickly to assess his surroundings.  All that he could see for as far as he could see was rocks, vegetation, and a few sparse trees.  Turning back to his machine he intended to go back in and fly somewhere else.  She deadlocked the doors.  Even him pounding with his fists didn’t persuade her to let him in.  Giving up he tugged onto his lapels, straightened his bow tie, and turned on his heels to see what was so damn important that he had to be here.

He hadn’t gone far when he realized the rocks were more than rocks; they were actually a series of caves.  Turning on his sonic he decided to explore the second one on the right.  The light from his sonic didn’t allow for much viewing but as best he could tell the cave was empty.  When he reached the back wall, and no further opening could be found he went back outside.

Looking around he noticed there were at least six, possibly eight different openings to choose from.  Not wanting to spend the whole day looking through empty caves he forced himself to stand still, listening to the sounds, listening to his timeline, listening for anything that would tell him which way to go.  That was when he heard the distinct sound of a Timelord’s heart.  His eyes flew open (when had he closed them?) and took off in that direction. 

This time he chose left, third from the front.  A few paces in he could smell dampness indicating that this cave contained water of some kind.  As he went further he could hear his boots squelch in the water beneath his feet.  He was far enough back now that the only light he had to see by was his sonic; luckily for him his eyes were beginning to acclimate to the lack of light.  On the floor he began to notice pieces of rock, boulders that had obviously fallen from the cave walls.  He began to question the safety of venturing into such a place.

Just when he considered turning around he felt a breeze against his face.  It was coming from in front of him and a few paces further he saw a sliver of light.  Quickening his pace he tasted salt on his tongue realizing the water must be saltwater.  Up ahead there was a large crack or a small narrow opening however you wanted to look at it.  Luckily he had no problem sliding through sideways.  As he stumbled through he heard a splash.  Jerking his head up he noticed a large luminescent pool of water in amongst the rocks and boulders that had fallen here.  Following the ray of light to the ceiling he saw an opening in the cave structure that allowed light and air inside.

As if awoken from a stupor it registered with him that he wasn’t alone.  The splashing in the water up ahead kind of gave it away.  Coming closer to the water’s edge he saw a nymph swimming below the water’s surface heading his way.  As she peered above the water he first noticed the reddish-blond curls trailing down her bare back before her face appeared.  “Hello Sweetie!”  She purred.

“River?”  He jumped back from the water’s edge, arms flailing about, before he fell onto his backside.  Her laughter surrounded him as he got himself back up, brushing off his trousers.  “That wasn’t funny, River.”

“Oh come on, lighten up.  It was terribly funny.”  He glowered at her so she cupped her hand sending a large wall of water in his direction.  Now he was standing there with his pride wounded and dripping wet.

“Why?”  He beseeched to the ceiling.

“Why what sweetie?”  The confused look on her face letting him know she thought he was talking to her.

“Nevermind!”  He mumbled, pacing back and forth in the small mostly level area next to the pool of water.  Under his breath he questioned, “So this is why you wanted me to come here but why?  Why do you keep bringing me to her?”

River watched in amusement as she rested her head against her folded arms along the pool’s ledge.  As she watched him she took in the hair, long and unruly.  His face so young, so baby face.  ‘Oh!’  It all clicked together and she realized that he was still terribly young.  “Sweetie, when was the last time you saw me?”

He stopped in his pacing to look at her, almost forgetting that River bloody Song was less than two meters away…..and without a stitch of clothes on.  Staring at her gorgeous face he was glad that the pool’s edge was hiding the rest of her.  “Um, the crash of the Byzantium.”

The color drained from her face.  ‘Blimey, really early days then.’  Covering quickly she quipped.  “Oh you are still so young!”  Turning she dove into the water swimming to the other side.

“I’m really no..t…..”  He started to say but it got lodge in his throat at the sight of all that bare skin.  Her curves slicing through the water as his throat went dry.  Try as he might he couldn’t take his eyes off of her as she rose from the water on the opposite side and slid back into her clothes.  As soon as she turned in his direction he quickly averted his eyes and resumed his pacing.

She wasn’t fooled.  She had felt his eyes on her the entire time and knew that someday he would relish it as much as she did……but today was not that day.  Putting the mask into place she stopped before him.  “So what brings you to seventh moon of the planet Jipern?”

“No idea!  It was the Old Girl’s idea…..although I suspect you might have had something to do with it!”  He tried staring her down but River Song doesn’t back down for anyone, even…..actually maybe, especially the Doctor.

“Me?  I don’t control the TARDIS.”

“But she likes you, shows you how to fly it, saves you when you jump out of starliners in deep space.”   She smirks at how jealous he sounds that his ship might like her more than him…..bless. Pushing past him she makes her way through the small opening going back the way he came.  “River?!?”  He calls after her.  Even with his much longer legs he has to move quickly to catch up with her.  “Why are you here?” 

She rolls her eyes in his direction before she speaks.  “As I was going through my research of ancient civilizations I came across an anomaly here in the 33rd century on Jipern.  It had always seemed odd how quickly they went from a primitive society to an industrial society.  Their time line was out of balance with the normal progression charted with other civilizations on a variety of planets.”

“The Jipernion are simple people living in no more than grass huts, living off the land.  They have barely begun domesticating animals.  Yet according to their timeline in less than a hundred years they will begin the industrial revolution that will carry them for centuries to come.  Something had to have happened.”

 “So… what?  You think they had some help?”  He inquires.

“Possibly….but what I have found so far indicates that it may be a result of something they found.”

“Something alien?”

“Yes, and/or futuristic to this society.”

Looking at her sideways, he begins to grin.  “Want to go find out?”  He asks as he offers her his hand.

“Absolutely!”  She grins.  “Let’s go poke a stick at it.”  She takes his hand leading them out of the cave.  Once outside they give themselves a few minutes to adjust to the light before she grabs his hand again heading in the direction of the native’s village.  Passing the TARDIS on the way she lovingly caresses her wood mentally saying ‘Hello’.  She could feel the old girl caressing her mind back saying ‘hello child’.

It’s not long before they see the village in the distance.  Grabbing his hand she pulls him up to a ridge where they can look down on them without being seen.  Silently they observe the basics of life being performed in front of them.  Women are tending to an animal being roasted over a fire.  Several women are preparing animal skins to be used for clothing or to construct a tent.  They notice that there are several structures, small timber construction with grass-thatched roofs.  Nothing seems to indicate that they have elevated much above wandering tribes.

At that moment something shiny catches their eye.  Two men are walking into the center of the village carrying large metal knives, heading in the direction of the roasted animal.  River and the Doctor give each other a look then turn back to watch the men cut the animal into pieces.  The women who had been tending to its roasting distribute the pieces to what appears to be heads of families. 

The Doctor tugs her away from the edge of the ridge to a clump of trees.  It is there he finally ends his silence.  “Metallurgy?  How is it that they have knowledge of metallurgy?”

“They shouldn’t.  They barely have created the wheel.  These people are too primitive to have the knowledge and ability to extract metals from rocks and forge them into knives.”

“So what do you think?  Other alien beings have been here?  Left them behind?”

“I don’t know Doctor.  My research of these people did not indicate any off-world visitors.  They haven’t even created a religion yet.”

“Hmm…other world beings would have probably been interpreted as some type of god.  So it seems unlikely then that they have had visitors.  Then what else could it be?”

“Perhaps it’s like on Janus9 where select ‘prophets’, if you will, were given visions of their own future.  By having that foreknowledge it was a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

“Yes, perhaps……………wait, how is it that you know that?”

She smirks at him giving him her best ‘I know everything face’.  “Doctor, there are many things that I know.”

“No River….”  He turns putting his hands on her shoulders.  “How do you _know_ that?”

His serious gaze is making her uncomfortable and her first instinct is to try to flee but he holds her tightly.  “River, this is important.  How do you know that about Janus9?”

“I…I….I don’t know.  I just do.”

“Did you read it in a book or hear of it from a stranger, how?”  His stare has become piercing and the urge to flee becomes greater.  With quick movements she manages to free herself, walking several paces away, her back to him she rubs her temples of the throbbing that has developed.

Realizing that he has frightened her with his actions he slowly approaches her from behind.  Gently he calls her name.  “River?”  She doesn’t turn to face him so he tries again.  “River, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“You didn’t.”  She said without turning around.

He places one hand on her shoulder and immediately feels her stiffen beneath it.  “I think I did, a bit.”  His voice was soft and apologetic.  She finally turned to look at him.  He could see the fear in her eyes that his oncoming storm had produced.  Carefully raising his hand he rubbed the back of it against her cheek.  “I’m sorry.”  She gave him a weak smile hoping he knew that all was forgiven. 

He must have taken this as a sign because the next thing she knew his arms were around her crushing her into his chest.  “Thank you.”  He whispered into the still wet ringlets of hair.

When she steps back she looks up at him, “Why?”

“Why?”  He asks back.

“Why is it so important to know how I know this about Janus9?”

His eyes shift to just past her right shoulder before he answers.  “Because you shouldn’t know this, no one should.  This happened in an alternate timeline that has been sealed off from this world.  No one here in this universe should have knowledge of what happened there.”

“But I do.”

“But you do.”

She wondered if her ability to know about things in other universes could be because of who she really was.  Her connection to the TARDIS was strong, especially when it was near.  ‘Could that be why?’  He was too early in his timeline for her to reveal herself to him so she kept those thoughts to herself.

To get the focus off her and keep him from asking questions she couldn’t yet answer she asked, “Should we make ourselves known to the villagers?  Maybe start a religion.”  She teased.

“Why not?  It’s been a few decades since I was made a deity.”  He grabbed her hand as they headed down from the ridge.

“Or maybe _I_ will be their deity.”  She protests.

He looks her way and smiles.  “I could see that.”  Unable to stop himself his hand tugs on a ringlet watching it spring back when he let’s go.  “You certainly have the hair for it!”  Her shoulders pull back as she straightens her posture carrying herself as the regal deity he is sure she could be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They saunter into the village looking at the primitive huts, the cooking apparatus in the center, and wonder again how could they have forged knives?  It isn’t long before the villagers begin to venture from their homes to them.  The men approach while the women and children stay huddled in the doorways of their tiny homes.

“Hel-lo!”  The Doctor greeted them enthusiastically.  River huffed at his side wondering when he would learn to be subtle.

They were immediately greeted by a wall of men brandishing spears at them.  River had to wonder why they were using spears when they had knives.  Having been greeted in this manner most of his life the Doctor paid it no mind.  “Hello, I’m the Doctor and…………”  He stopped before introducing River as the men had dropped their spears, fallen to their knees, and bowed their heads.

River leaned into him at the sight, “I suppose it’s you this time then.”  He caught the devil in her eye look as she grinned at him.

Before he could say anything further a tall warrior looking man pushed through the kneeling men.  He carried himself with authority and wore fancier garments than the others.  ‘He must be the chief.’

The chief finally spoke, “You are the Doctor, you’re coming has been foretold.”  Turning he spoke to someone to the side, “Manteeth, is this the man in your vision?”  An elder man hobbled forward to look upon the Doctor.  Convinced it was the same man as in his dreams he confirmed that to the chief and all of the villagers.

Turning back to the Doctor the chief continued to speak.  “It has been foretold that a man called The Doctor would come to our village to heal us.  Are you that man?”

“You are sick?”

“My people and I suffer from bad dreams, dreams of places that can’t be, of things that cannot and yet are.”  The Doctor looks at River to see what she makes of all of this but she gives nothing away.

Looking at River he realizes he hasn’t introduced her.  “Forgive me I haven’t introduced…..”  But again before he was able to introduce River he was cut off.

“We know who she is.  It was foretold that she would come with The Doctor.”  Looking now at River he addresses her.  “You are the Goddess of the Water, the one who brings knowledge and enlightenment.  Welcome.”  River nods as if in agreement with his statement.

They are welcomed into the village, given their very own hut, and provided food.  Over the next couple of weeks, River and The Doctor learn about their dreams and become more concerned as each one is revealed. 

Learning how to extract metal and forge knives wasn’t the only skills that have acquired.  They have learned basic medical practices, ways to preserve food, and were beginning to understand how to make transportation devices.  These practical dreams were also interspersed with knowledge of ‘monsters’ with metal for skin and others with eight legs…..in other words aliens to this planet.  River and the Doctor are continually perplexed as to how they could be having dreams about places they have never seen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Having their own hut had been difficult on both of them.  For River it was terribly frustrating to be so close to her love without being able to touch.  He wasn’t even ready for kissing yet.  She was nearly ready to abandon him here with his devoted subjects to go off and find an older version of him.  As each day passed she knew she definitely had to find a version of him that was her husband as soon as they had solved this mystery.  Either that or she would need to take on an entire fleet of Sontarians to quell this fire.

For the Doctor he was uncomfortable being in such tight quarters with someone he didn’t really know but knew that one day she would be very important to him.  He carried his secret with him; his secret that she knew him that first day he met her.  As he looked over to where she laid on her mattress made of tall grass clippings he wondered how she had become so important to him that he told her his name.  ‘Does she really become my wife…..my true wife?’  He wondered. 

He’d only met her a few times but watching her as she slept he could see it.  She was smart, capable, fearless….she could be the one woman that would be his match.  But as he continued to look at her he couldn’t help but question, ‘Can I trust her?’  He knows she proved herself to him that day in The Library but……..

His thoughts are interrupted by River’s screams.  Immediately he is at her side jostling her awake.  “River!  River, wake up.”  When she opens her eyes and sees him she quickly backs away from him until her back hits the wall of the hut.

“River, it’s me.  It’s ok.  You’re ok.”  He tries to sound reassuring but he’s not very good with emotions so he’s not sure if he’s pulling it off.

River’s breathing begins to calm and she inches her way back to wear he kneels on the floor.  Reaching out to him she touches his cheek feeling the warmth of it.  “You’re alive!”  She sounds surprised by this.

“Um….yes..I’m alive.”  His eyes question her question.

Pulling her legs to her chest she wraps her arms around them while rocking slightly.  “It just seemed so real.”

“What seemed so real?  Did you have a bad dream?”

She shook her head.  “It didn’t feel like a dream.  It felt real…..like I was there.  You were dead.  You were lying in the TARDIS but it didn’t look like the TARDIS.”

“The TARDIS you say?”

“Yes, The TARDIS.  It looked different, dark, moody,…..and covered in vines all around.  You were lying on the floor writhing in pain then you stopped.  There wasn’t any red…..no blood.  But you were dead I was sure of it.  And………….”  She faltered.  “And …it..was..my fault.”

“Your fault?”

She nodded.

“How?”

Shaking her head she replied, “I don’t know I just knew it was my fault and…..and…..”  She began to hyperventilate.  He pulled her into his arms, whispering messages of reassurance that he was not dead, and that he was sure when his time came she would have nothing to do with it.

Neither of them was quite sure they believed that.

She clung to his shirt, fisting it in her fingers as if to assure herself that he was real and not dead.  He held her for a long time until she finally drifted back to sleep.  Laying her down on her grass mattress he studied her face.  ‘Was this the face of his future wife?  Or Was this the face of his future assassin?’  Somehow he couldn’t rid himself of the thought that those two did not have to be mutually exclusive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn’t until it happened to the Doctor that they began to make the connections.  He didn’t sleep much but when he did it was typically a very deep rest.  He was surprised when he was awoken by River shaking him.  “What?!?”  He slurred as he woke from his slumber.

“Sweetie, you were calling my name.”

“I was?”

“Yes, you kept saying ‘River, no’ over and over.”

He gave his head a shake to wake more fully to recall what he had been dreaming about.  “Yes, I remember now.  But it didn’t feel like a dream.  It felt like….like a memory but not one I’ve had.”

She sat beside his grass mattress with her hand pressed into his arm, unwilling to let go.  “What was it about?”

“Um….”  He pushes to sit up more fully.  “I was lying on something hard…I remember it was digging into my back.  I was wearing fancy dress….a full tuxedo.”  River let her hand slip from his arm.  “You were there….and you were about to do something I didn’t want you to do.  So I kept telling you no over and over again.”

“Do you remember what I was going to do?”  Her voice sounded hollow and she wrapped her arms around herself as she looked at him for his answer.

“No, but I know I didn’t want you to do it.  Or did I?”  He asked himself confused by his own answer.  It wasn’t until he looked up that he realized that River had turned white as a sheet and was trying desperately to hold herself together.  Reaching out to her he was surprised by how stiff she was as if she was afraid she would break at any moment.  “River, what’s the matter?”

Finally looking at him she steels herself to tell him what she must and not what she mustn’t.  “You shouldn’t know that.  Not this you.  You haven’t lived that yet.  There’s no way you could know that.”

His eyes went wide as he realized that this was actually a memory of his own future, their future, one she had already lived.

“So are you saying that this actually happened?”

She nodded.

“What didn’t I want you to do?”

Shaking her head she replied, “You know I can’t tell you that.”

Looking at her he can see that this memory has shaken her and nothing shakes River Song.  He’s not sure he wants to know what he was trying to stop her from doing.  But looking at her now he sees the scared woman who was afraid that he would change even one line of his future and deny her her past with him. 

Reaching for her he pulls her into his chest like he had done when she had _her_ nightmare/memory.  He had to admit he was beginning to like the feel of her against his body, the smell of her hair, and the faint scent of time that she emitted. 

As he held her it finally came to him what was happening.  “River, I know what is happening!”  He proclaimed. 

Pulling back she looked at the joy on his face, the joy he always had when he solved a puzzle.  “Oh?”

“Timelines…..something is letting us…and the villagers see other timelines.  You and I are seeing our past and our future.  The villagers are probably seeing the same.  They don’t recognize it because it’s probably so far into their future.”

“Yes, but what could be making us see other timelines.”

He hopped up and began to pace.  He always thought better when he was moving.  “Well, obviously it has to be something here in the village because we hadn’t experienced it until after we came.”

“And it’s taken weeks before it affected us.”  She added.

He nodded his finger at her in agreement.  “So it has to be something that we all have contact with.”

“Could it be something in the ground itself, a chemical perhaps?”  She suggested.

“Possibly….  What else have we all had contact with?  Because even the children seem to be affected by this.”

“That’s true…..so it would have to be something all of us would have contact with.  The food?”

“But even the babies were affected and they only had their mum’s milk.”

She gives him an incredulous look.  “Doctor, really how would you know they’ve been affected?” 

“I speak baby…..they told me.”

Her eyes go wide as if a memory slipped in.  “Oh yeah.”  She said softly.

Stopping in his tracks he turns to look at her.  “River…”

“Yes?”

“River, Goddess of the water.  That can’t be a coincidence.”

“Yes, because we all know what you say about coincidences.”

In unison, they say, “There aren’t any!” 

“That’s it….the water!  It must be the water!!”  River shouts.

“I think you may be right, my River.  We will check out the source of the water for the village in the morning.”  He pokes his head outside the hut for a second then continues.  “It will be a few more hours before the Jipern sun rises.”

When he turns back around he is surprised by the startled look on her face.  “What?”

“Nothing.”  She shakes her head turning to go back to her mattress.  He stares at her back but says nothing more.  As she settles on her grass mattress she can’t help but savor the sound of his voice calling her ‘my River’.  She has missed him terribly in the weeks they had been here, made that much more difficult by the presence of his too young self.  Hearing his name for her brought a warmth to her chest but just as quickly it was followed by the hollow feeling of it not being really him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the morning they are able, with the help of some of the villagers, to trace the source of their water all the way back to the cave that he first found River in weeks ago.  After sending the villagers home he and River go to the TARDIS for equipment.  When he takes off down a corridor ‘to get supplies’ she slips into their room.  The old girl always has it available for her, even when he is this young.  It hurts, it physically hurts to be in there without him but it reminds her that he is still out there waiting for her when she’s done with his younger self.

Taking a much needed shower she puts on fresh clothes, fluffs her hair and feels human again for the first time in weeks.  When she emerges from their room he is preoccupied with several gadgets he has lain on the console seats.  When he looks up he is first perplexed then surprised that she has changed clothes.  “You changed?”

“Yes, took a shower too.  I needed that.  I like living primitive as much as the next girl but give me a hot running shower and I’m yours for life.”  She purred.

Looking around confused he finally turns to the time rotor, “Thank you old girl for making her a room.”

Coming a bit closer she says, “Oh she didn’t need to do that.  I already had one!”

He sputters at the idea that River Song had a room in HIS TARDIS and he didn’t know about it.  She laughs then pats his cheek, “You’re so cute when you go all bug-eyed!”  Moving past him she inspects the gadgets that he had retrieved.  “So what is all this?”

He continues to stare at her for another minute before moving on.  “I thought we might need equipment to analyze the water, scan for alien tech……”  He babbles on trying not to let it bother him that his ship lets her have privileges that she just _shouldn’t_ have.

She picks up the two closest gadgets and heads to the door.  Turning back she baits him, “Aren’t you coming?” Before sauntering out the door.

“Infuriating woman!”  He grumbles picking up the rest of the equipment.  “…and don’t think you’ve heard the end of this from me either you!”  He states to the ceiling of the TARDIS as he heads out the door.

With their torches in hand they make it through the cave much faster than he had his first time there.  River passes through the narrow passage first taking in the sight of the large luminescent pool of water.  As he enters the room he is immediately struck by the golden light reflecting off of the water’s surface onto River’s face.  It makes her skin glow reminding him of regeneration energy.  Shaking the thoughts from his mind he gets to the task of analyzing the cave structure and the water content.

So absorbed is he with his scans he doesn’t notice that River has disrobed until he hears her splash in the water.  Turning he catches sight of her beautiful backside as it skims through the water.  “River!  What are you doing?”

Stopping in the water she turns to look at him causing him to flutter his arms then quickly covering his eyes with his left hand.  Without restraint she laughs at his awkwardness around her.  She longs for the version of him that would have dropped his gadgets, stripped down, and joined her in a heartbeat.  As much as she is enjoying this adventure with him she can’t wait until it’s over so she can seek him out.  She might even have to stay a few weeks to work out all of her frustrations.  “Oh Sweetie!  You are so adorable.”  She covers.  Turning back she dives beneath the water.

He notices she has an underwater torch and that the bottom of the pool is quite deep.  Watching her carefully he sees her dive again and again as she searches for anything unusual.  Coming to the edge where he is kneeling she holds onto the side to catch her breath.  “Do you see anything?”

“Not really but it’s quite dark down there.  Anything show up on your scans?” 

He fumbles to look down at his gadgets having all but abandoned them to watch River.  “No, nothing out of the ordinary.  The artron levels are higher than I would expect but I’m not exactly sure what normal levels would be for this planet.”

About ten minutes after she resumes her diving she pops up all excited.  “Sweetie, I think I’ve found something.  Pass me the end of that rope.”  The Doctor quickly uncoils the rope they had brought handing her one end.  Within minutes she returns to the surface signaling him to pull it up.  While he’s bringing it to the surface she took the opportunity to get back into her clothes.

Arriving at his side she is just in time for the object to be pulled from the water.  It’s a long metallic cylinder tube with handles on each end.  A faint blue light glows from a ring around its center.  Immediately he pulls out his sonic and scans it.  The results cause his face to go pale.  “What?  What is it Doctor?”

“Um….”  He continues to stare at the readout.

When he doesn’t answer she pulls the sonic from his hand to read it herself.  Shocked by what she reads she looks back at him.  “Wow!”

“Yeah…wow.”  He says somewhat distracted.

“But how can that be Doctor?”  She probes.

Jostled from his thoughts he addresses her question.  “How can what be?”

“How can this be from Gallifrey?”  She asks.

His eyes go wide as he pulls the sonic back from her, looking at the readout again.  “How could you know that?”

Laughing she looks at him as if he was daft.  “Because it says so right on the readout.”

He looks at the readout again, then back at her, then back at the readout again.  “But how can you read this?  It’s in Gallifreyan…..and the TARDIS doesn’t translate that!”

“Oh Sweetie……”  She pats his cheek.  “I learned how to read and write in Gallifreyan long ago.”

“What?  Why?  How?”  He sputtered.

She can’t help herself from smiling before uttering, “Spoilers!”

He looks at her with disdain, already hating the word ‘spoilers’ but knowing that he can’t ask anything further.  One day he will know all her secrets.  He’s surprised by the flutter in his heart at that thought.

“So what is this exactly?”  She asks.

“Well I didn’t recognize it at first.  I suppose I wasn’t expecting to see anything from Gallifrey ….ever again.”  He trails off.  Shaking his head to bring back his focus he continues.  “It’s a device that the High Council of Timelords would use to see other timelines.”

“But I thought they could do that anyways?”

“They can but only as it pertains to them.  This could be used to see into the timelines of others.  Primarily it was used when a Timelord had gone rogue to determine if left alone what path would they take.”  He seemed to have personal knowledge of this.

“Is this what they used on you?”

“What?”

“When they put you on trial?  Did they use this to determine your timeline?”

His jaw drops.  “How do you know this stuff about me?”

She averts her eyes from his piercing gaze.  “I’m an archeologist.  It’s my job to learn stuff.”  He continued to stare after her wondering how long he was going to have to wait before he learned who she really was.

Moving on he said, “Well at least we know why we and the villagers were seeing other timelines.  The water would have been a conduit connecting us to the device.”

“Can you shut it off?”

“Yes, that should be easy enough.  There should be a power source right below….yes here it is.”  He opened a panel then flipped a switch causing the light blue ring to shut down. 

Immediately she felt her head relax.  She hadn’t even realized that she had been tense the entire time she was here or she had but attributed it to having to spend so much time with her too young not-yet husband.  “That’s better.”  She sighed.

“You felt that too?”

“Yeah, I hadn’t realized it until it was gone but it was like something had been in my head the whole time.”

Again he looks at her with confused eyes.  “Yeah, me too.”

“So what now?”  She asks in an effort to get him to stop looking at her like that.

“Well now we should probably let the villagers know that all is well then we can leave.”

“But what about this?”  She points to the Timelord device.

“Oh I can bury it somewhere in the TARDIS where I’ll forget about it.”

“Really?  This item that is the only thing you have seen of your home planet since the Time War,”  He cringes at her bringing up the Time War.  “and you’re going to just forget about it?”

“Well we can’t just leave it here.”  He protests.

“I wasn’t suggesting that we should.”

“Then what are you suggesting?  I’m certainly not letting you take it back to university.”

“No, certainly not.  I have someplace in mind that will keep it safe.”

“Where?”

“I think it’s best if you don’t know.  I wouldn’t want you to be tempted to go all Timelord now would I?”  She smirked.

He didn’t agree with her and began to protest but she interrupted.  “Now Sweetie, you know it’s for the best.  You just have to trust me.  I have a secret place where no one will find it.”  In one quick moment she kissed his cheek, grabbed the device, and punched the coordinates into her vortex manipulator.

He sat there staring at the space where she had been, then down at the space where the device had been.  She was gone.  Somehow he just knew she wasn’t coming back.  He gathered up the gadgets and the torches heading back to the TARDIS.  Briefly he considered going back down to the village but he wasn’t really sure how to explain alien technology or even if he should. 

So in the end he got in his TARDIS and left.  As he wandering back down the corridors to put the gadgets away he wondered where her secret place could be.  ‘Knowing River Song….it could be anywhere in time or space.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn’t unusual for items to just appear in the Black Archives.  The technicians had long since given up trying to figure out where this stuff came from.  It seemed best to keep it under lock and key than to question it.  They all agreed that was for the best.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	4. Fancy Meeting You Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, major apologies. I am so sorry to have missed two Friday deadlines on this story. The truth is my computer is holding my stories hostage! Really!! My writing computer won't allow Word to open so I can't get to any of my stories. I was able to copy this off to another computer but the final changes weren't in there so I had to rewrite part of this chapter. That combined with the end of the semester meant I couldn't complete this until now. The good news is that the final chapter will be up in a day or two.

After spending weeks in tight quarters with the man who wasn’t yet her husband…. she needed him. Sending him a message on the psychic paper she hopes it finds her much older, much more romantic husband.

He’s racing around the console maneuvering the TARDIS away from the hostile horde that has just chased him across the hills when he feels a warmth coming from his breast pocket. As soon as the ship is in flight he pulls out the psychic paper. He’s fairly certain he knows who it will be from. There are a small amount, minuscule really amount of people who can contact him on his psychic paper.

Doctor

Need a date.

876 acorn2 /v7

XXOO

 

He smiles, immediately punching in the coordinates before dancing off in the direction of the wardrobe. By the time he returns to the console room the TARDIS has already landed. He scans the room somewhat surprised that River wasn’t waiting for him. “I guess she wants me to meet her there. Maybe we’re going to play the stranger game.” A smirk crosses his lips as he straightens his bow-tie in the nearest shiny surface. Certain that his final checks are ready for River he passes through the TARDIS doors.

He finds himself in modern London at a royal party. He’s not sure who but apparently it’s someone’s birthday and they have thrown a big do. Flashing his psychic paper gains him entry but he is disappointed when he doesn’t see River anywhere. He knows she could still be here, the manor house was huge. It would probably take him hours to search it so he decides to let her come to him.

Getting himself a properly fizzy drink he positions himself to catch sight of her when she enters the room. Unfortunately a lovely young lady bumped into him causing his drink to spill onto her dress. With the distraction he managed to miss River’s big entrance.

Upon arrival at the manor house she ducks into the ladies room. She freshens up, fluffs her hair, reapplies her bright red lipstick, and hides her vortex manipulator into her ‘bigger on the inside’ handbag. It wouldn’t be a good idea for 51st century technology to be scene in the 21st century. Smoothing her dress over her curves she winks at herself looking very forward to the night ahead.

Entering the ballroom with her head held high she scans the room for him. The heels of her red Loubouton’s echo against the wooden floor announcing her arrival.

He would know that sound anywhere and quickly searches the room staring as his eyes meet hers. Taking in the sight of her nearly squeezes the breath from his chest. She is a vision. The red sequined gown drapes over her curves leaving little to his imagination. The high slit at the side giving him tantalizing glimpses of leg and thigh causing his breath to quicken further. The mass of curls draws him to her like opposite sides of a magnet.

She has always been that to him. She is his other half pulling him towards her….even when he had no idea who this woman was. He has always been drawn to her and he knows without a doubt that he always will be. She knows that….

When she’s nearly close enough for him to get a whiff of her perfume she turns to the closest man to her and asks him to dance. Despite his surprise he wastes little time saying yes. ‘That minx!’ He grumbles. She winks at him as she allows the other man to lead her onto the dance floor. Standing there like the idiot he is he watches his wife be swayed around the dance floor. Even knowing full well that she is doing it to make him jealous….it works….he is!

His teeth clench as the man’s arm encircles her waist knowing it should be his. When she throws her head back in laughter at something he said….he knows it should be his words she is laughing at. Watching her having the time of her life in the arms of another doesn’t sit well with him. She’s baiting him he knows but the pull to her is too great. He doesn’t want to play this game any longer….he just wants her in his arms.

After smoothing his lapels and straightening his bowtie he marches onto the dance floor. Without a second glance at the man he says to River, “I believe you promised this dance to me.” His eyes bore into hers as if he could see into her very soul.

She recognized those eyes. Those were the eyes of the man who knew all of her….well as much as she could let him know. Those were the eyes she looked into as they spent lazy mornings stroking each other’s skin, talking about everything and nothing at all. Those were the eyes of her husband. Turning to the man on her arm she says, “I’m sorry. It appears I was not as available as I led you to believe.” His brown eyes widen. “My apologies.” He slinks off into the crowd without a second glance from River or the Doctor.

They only have eyes for each other. He knows her eyes too. He sees the hunger in them. The hunger that he only sees in an older River…a hunger he would be more than happy to fulfill. Sliding her hands up his arms she clasps them behind his head as their bodies begin a dance they have perfected over the past few hundred years. “Hello Sweetie!” She finally greeted.

“Hello wife!” He smiles back at her.

Her smile broadens. She loves when he calls her that. Not only does it let her know that he is after their wedding on a pyramid but she loves how possessive he makes it sound. She shouldn’t like that….being possessed. River Song isn’t someone that anyone could possess……except him. He was made for her as she was made for him….his bespoke psychopath.

Wrapping his arms around her he pulls her into his chest burying his face in her curls. The smell of jasmine, ancient dust, and time calm him making him feel right at home. Pressed tightly against his chest she lets the rhythms of his hearts ground her. Nowhere else in the universe does she feel as secure as she does in his arms. Here, together they both feel they can take on the world….and they have………..so many times.

But not tonight. Tonight they have crashed a minorly important noble’s birthday ball in 21st century England. Tonight they are going to bask in each other.

“Sweetie” she purrs in his ear. “There’s something I’d like to show you in the Viscount’s chambers.” He raises his barely there eyebrows in astonishment of her boldness but eagerly lets her lead the way. They barely take notice of the Prince and the Princess who have just arrived as they pass through the crowd. She leads him up the opulent curved stairwell, past portrait after portrait of dead ancestors to the double doors at the center of the manor house.

He knows it’s a ruse so he wastes no time pressing her against the door as his body fills her curves with his lanky frame. He’s always loved that…..how their bodies seemed to be made for the other. Smiling the smile of an idiot in love he bends slightly capturing her lips in his. The connection is instantaneous and gloriously wonderful at the same time. When she is in his arms it is like no time has passed.

Her mouth devours his. This same mouth that for weeks was off-limits. Now she can snog him senseless and then some. Pulling back slightly she has that twinkle in her eye that makes his heart race because he knows whatever is coming he will agree to it without question. Before she asks he lets his hand slide up her thigh feeling the delicate skin there and his other caresses her cheek. Playfully he kisses her nose letting her know he will do whatever she wants.

Before she has a chance to ask the manor house shakes from an explosion. Pushing at his chest she gives him a reproachful look.

“What? I didn’t do anything!” He protests.

“Really Doctor? You show up and an explosion just happens by coincidence?” She’s already pulled her gun out from ……wherever could she have been hiding it in this dress??

He has his ear pressed to the door trying to determine what is going on. “Me?!? It could be you. It’s not like trouble doesn’t follow you wherever you go.”

“Well that is true Sweetie.” Her eyes sparkle at him. “It does keep things from getting ever so dull. Shall we?” Her head beckons to the door.

With a twinkle in his eye he pulls her in for a searing kiss before declaring, “Geronimo!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It only took them three hours to take down the extremist group responsible for the attack. It wasn’t even aliens this time……well not aliens to this planet at least. River had popped out for supplies which made the whole skirmish end rather abruptly. The Doctor chortled that even big bad boys know when they are outgunned and no one can outgun like River Song!

As soon as the attack and the bad boys were contained they made a quick exit. As far as this world was concerned he was supposed to be dead and it would be best not to have too many questions asked. Their arms full with the weapons that River got from her ‘secret supplier’ he can’t wait to drop them on the jump seat so he can have his arms full of River.

Pressing her into the console he bends down sliding his lips over hers. His hands quickly slide over her thighs lifting her onto the console. She wastes no time stroking her stocking clad feet up and down his legs. It’s then that she first realizes she left her shoes behind in her secret stash. Shoving him in the chest she chides, “Doctor! My shoes!”

“What about them?” He asks as his lips make their way down her neck.

Trying to stay angry, because they were her favorite she continues to lament their loss. “Doctor, I left them behind when I got the weapons.”

“So?” He mumbles as he stops to nibble on her earlobe.

“So?” She shoves at his chest pushing him back far enough to see the anger on her face. “They were my favorite. I loved those shoes.”

He scrunches his face at her wondering why we are wasting time talking about shoes. “River, you can just pick them up when you take these back.” He pointed in the direction of the weapons. Sliding his arms back around her waist he lifts her causing her to tighten her legs around him. “Now enough talking about shoes that would already be on the floor anyways.”

He heads in the direction of their room but stops a total of five times just because kissing River Song became too distracting to walk where he wanted to go.

Hours later she awakes to the feel of his lips across her bare back. It tickles slightly but she decides she doesn’t really mind. Her purrs become louder as his lips descend across her lower back. “Sweetie!”

“River!” He continues his exploration of her skin determined to commit all of it to memory. For once they seemed to be on the same page. Neither of them was in a hurry to leave or take off on an adventure. They spent days enjoying each other, reminding each other of how much they needed one another. It was as if they both craved it.

She knew she did after the frustration of the past few weeks with his younger self. It made her wonder why he seemed so eager to cling to her. When their bodies were sated he surprised her with adventures to convince her to stay with him a little longer. After weeks of ancient civilizations, governments to overthrow on far-away planets not to mention the side trip to the planet of the shoes the red Louboutons were long forgotten….for now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	5. The Day it Finally Dawns on the Doctor

On that day when the fate of the planet was being decided by a human and a Zygon, who looked remarkably the same, the Doctor and the Doctor strolled around the Black Archives. It was a bit like reading one of his diaries. As they passed various objects it would spark a memory and the Doctors would reminisce about an adventure or two in their shared pasts.

The site of a Cyberman’s head caused them both to pause. The man in the brown pinstriped suit remembering the day he lost Rose in his quest to throw the Cybermen and the Daleks into the void. That day still haunts him, no matter how many days have passed, no matter how many companions he travels with. Even the thought that a part of him is still with her doesn’t ease his heart. Of course perhaps knowing that she may not miss him as much as he misses her since he is (in a sense) still with her shatters his hearts with even the thought of her.

His hand automatically goes to straighten his bow tie as he thinks of his Amelia. He remembers how the Cyberman nearly took her from him in the Pandorica. Shaking his head he tries to will away the thought… it didn’t happen. She was safe….until she wasn’t. Willing his feet to move he can’t however stop the thoughts from the Cyberplanner from echoing inside his brain. Remembering every move on the chess board and every word Mr. Clever said to him he can’t help but remember how close he came to losing Clara and the kids that day.

Immediately he begins to worry and whips his head around until he spots her. She’s sitting with the old guy, the one he’s tried so hard to forget. It makes him cringe to think how her opinion of him may change after this meeting. He’s shaken from his thoughts by the sound of his once own voice, “Onwards…” his old self says.

Turning to meet his eyes he continues, “and Upwards.” They nod in agreement as they continue their meander through their past.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When he sees them he has to smile. The sight of them always did bring a grin to his face but he’s sure that probably had more to do with the person who usually wore them. Shuffling over to where they are on display he slowly traces his fingers over the bright red leather remembering the many times he’d taken them slowly from her feet.

“Why would there by shoes in here? What could possibly be dangerous about them?” The man at his elbow questioned.

“You’d be surprised. The woman who wore these…..well…Hell in High Heels.” His voice was filled with remembrance and a touch of sorrow.” The other Doctor took a step back as it seemed that they were no longer talking just about shoes.

Tracing over them he remembers that day when she complained so bitterly over leaving them behind in her ‘Secret Stash’. It’s at that moment when realization finally dawns on him. He busted up laughing when he finally understood who her supplier was. Kate looked in his direction to see what was so funny but she didn’t give away whether or not she recognized the shoes. He wondered if even the director of UNIT knew that River Song used their most secure facility for a bit of extra closet space!

 

**~The End~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's not forget to watch River drive the Doctor to distraction on Christmas Day! I hope you enjoyed my small tale for the River ficathon.
> 
> Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing for a specific prompt....I hope I do it justice.  
> Expect a new chapter each Friday until we can have the real thing on Christmas Day!!!!


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